December , 2012

By David Huff

Joseph Gutta Chatman

A Renaissance Man And Proud Of It

His street poetry may not carry the weight of William Shakespeare, but his words have just as deep a meaning. You see, Bill and Joe grew up on rough streets in tough times. There worlds were 400 years apart, but their circumstances are eerily similar. Both learned to survive on instincts. Instead of allowing the streets to claim them, they simply stepped back, with pen in hand, and observed the chaos around them. And then they acted on it.

“All the world is a stage," wrote Shakespeare, and his words were often spoken on one. As for Chapman, his theater of choice included locales such as Waco, Atlanta, Dallas and San Antonio. His powerful messages were spoken loud and proud, clearly understood by the thousands that saw his live performances. His Othello, Romeo and Iago were better known as Tupac, Scarface and Ice Cube. 'Gutta' channeled the spirit of these legendary artists into his own language as he translated their visions of life on the street into his own vocabulary.

Rap music has gone through several changes over the years. The gritty prose isn't for everyone simply because of the harsh realities of life it exposes. But for those that truly understand the language of the streets, the words spoken are a thing of beauty. Mastering the art requires walking a fine line between the real and surreal. Heaven and hell are often captured in a single observation. Turning difficult scenarios into positive messages of hope has enabled the 6'4" Chapman to transform his ideal world from simple phrases into poetic justice.

Real Gutta Music was released in 2009 and set the wheels in motion for the road ahead. Tours with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony as well as Big Mike and UGK followed. The past two years has seen Chapman hone his skills into an art form that is clearly setting him apart from his contemporaries. Riding high with "Thick With It", his latest music video hitting 21K on You Tube, and the upcoming CD / DVD project, Motivated 4 Success, about to be released, the 'gutta' is the one place fans of Chapman are going to want to be.